


Wavelength

by NanakiBH



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Age Difference, Awkward Crush, Bad Flirting, Day At The Beach, Existential Angst, Food Kink, Ice Cream, Innuendo, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Power Imbalance, Sexual Tension, Soulmates, Teasing, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 10:53:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18963811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: The most disappointing beach episode ever.





	Wavelength

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I could write about Luxu and the MoM having a fun time at the beach. I don't know what I expected... It's like watching two goths at the beach.

“This is it?”

“This is it! Whaddya think?”

 

It was...

 

“Beautiful.”

 

Luxu had never been to the ocean. It wasn't that far from Daybreak Town, but he'd never had a reason to be there before. Nobody had ever invited him. He didn't have any friends who would invite him.

The Master... He wasn't exactly a friend, but he was the first person to invite him to the beach.

Being invited by him made Luxu feel kind of conflicted. He liked him. A lot. So he wanted to impress him and look mature in front of him. But he couldn't help feeling childish in the situation.

On one hand, a trip to the beach sounded like a date.

On the other hand, a trip to the beach _with the Master_ made it sound like he was being babysat.

 

Was he?

Was he being babysat?

 

He couldn't tell. But he couldn't rightly say no to the offer. After all, he really did want to go with him, especially when the Master seemed so interested in the idea. It was getting warmer, the clock tower turning into an oven, and the Master didn't even try to hide how much he hated the heat. He spent the whole morning vocally daydreaming about how much he would have rather been swimming in the ocean before he turned to Luxu and made the suggestion.

So there they were, at the beach in lieu of a lesson.

It was pretty hot there, too. But at least they weren't trapped in the clock tower anymore. And the ocean did look pretty refreshing...

The thought of swimming was kind of embarrassing, though. Luxu had his swimsuit on underneath his coat, but he wasn't prepared to take it off, lacking confidence in his body. He'd been training with the Master for longer than any of the others, but he had nothing to show for it, physically. Even Gula had more muscle under his robes! It wasn't fair...

The saddest part was, the Master probably wouldn't have cared. He probably wasn't even looking at him that way.

He wasn't looking at him at all. His eyes were on the ocean.

 

Suddenly, Luxu felt stupid for worrying about himself.

He was glad that he'd been invited.

The ocean really was pretty. It was stunning, the way the color of the glimmering waves was reflected in the Master's clear eyes. The Master was far above petty concerns. He saw through everything, his eyes focusing solely on the things that were worth his attention, witnessing the world in the most honest way. Looking at him, Luxu felt like the waves should have been grateful to be seen by someone who knew how to look at them.

For a while, they stood in silence, the Master looking out at the water, Luxu watching his eyes and the pleasant look on his face.

When he'd had enough of standing, the Master sat down in the sand. He patted the spot next to him and Luxu joined him.

Apart from the sea birds, they were alone.

It felt like it was really just the two of them. That was the whole world. Just them.

Even if it wasn't meant to be a date, that realization felt very romantic. Luxu felt his face warming from more than just the heat.

 

“It looks like we have the whole place to ourselves,” Luxu mused aloud. “Master, you don't really like other people, do you?”

He hummed as if thinking. The fact that he had to think about the question made Luxu think he was right.

“Th... That's not true... I like people,” he replied evasively.

He was just being careful with his words. Luxu understood what he meant because the two of them were the same. He liked people in theory; he liked living in a place that was full of all kinds of different people, seeing their smiles, hearing their laughter, witnessing their accomplishments... But he seldom felt understood. Rather, his perspective and view of the world was very different from anyone else's.

That was how the Master was, too.

It would have been impossible for him to see things exactly as the Master did, but Luxu wished he could. He was content to try.

“You'd probably rather be alone, right?”

He shook his head. “That's not true, either.”

Luxu looked at him questioningly, wordlessly imploring him to elaborate.

“Eh. I dunno how to put it,” he said, shrugging one shoulder.

That sounded odd, coming from him. He always had an answer prepared for every question. The fact that he'd stumped him made Luxu feel accomplished, like he'd found a real subject for them to talk about.

“I think I know too much. I really like other people, but it's hard for me to feel their sincerity. I end up deconstructing every word down to the letter, and by the time I'm done undressing their intentions, it's like there isn't even a person left there for me to talk to, just a character that spits out predictable dialog.”

“You're very self-aware.”

“Thanks! It sucks.” He flopped down into the sand and pulled his hood over his eyes to shield them from the sun.

“I know,” Luxu said, doing the same.

 

The Master rolled onto his side and looked at him, his chin propped in his palm. Luxu found it difficult to meet his eyes when he knew that he was the focus of his attention. When he nervously took a glance at him to gauge his expression, he found himself suddenly fixated on the intensity of the feeling in his eyes, unable to look away. His nervousness was replaced by some other feeling that tugged at his heart.

The Master grinned. “Would it sound insincere if I told you I liked you?”

“I'd say... You didn't have to say it,” Luxu muttered. The Master might have spoken with that facetious attitude of his, but Luxu could still hear how serious he was. His jokes may have been hard to read, but, one way or another, Luxu was always able to tell when he was being serious.

The Master looked impressed.

“You're someone very special, Luxu. I'm glad I have you.”

Luxu sat back up to hide his face. “I-I said you didn't have to say anything... I got what you were thinking.”

The Master followed him up and put a hand on his shoulder. “But, see, that's why you're special! I trust your thoughts. I believe in you.”

But why? Was it just a feeling or was it because of something else that only the Master understood? Luxu didn't think he'd done anything worthy of his trust. But... He wanted to. He was happy that he already seemed to think of him as someone he could rely on, but Luxu wanted to do more to earn that trust.

As it turned out, a day at the beach with the Master was just about the same as a day spent in the clock tower; all of the same existential conversations, and all of the same awkward feelings.

Luxu wished that he could fast-forward time to move past all of that and get to the part where he grew up to be a cool, handsome gentleman who was able to confidently communicate his feelings to the person he liked. He truly, sincerely hoped that he'd grow up to be like that... He felt like he was going to die if he stayed awkward forever.

The Master knew the future. He could've told him. But he wouldn't.

 

That had to be it...

 

There must have been something in the future that the Master saw that gave him a good impression of him.

But what?

What could he have done that would have impressed him that much?

 

Could it have been...? 

Was it possible that the Master had already fallen for his future self?

 

“You okay there, Luxu? Is the sun getting to you?”

Luxu nearly jumped out of his skin. He jolted and crab-walked backwards across the sand, away from the Master who had suddenly appeared next to him, too close for comfort.

“Ah-...! Uh! Y-... No? I'm fine!” He already forgot what the question was, but he thought he answered it, whatever it was. The Master gave him a skeptical look, but he appeared to be more amused than anything else, so Luxu's panic subsided quickly.

“Really?” The Master moved toward him on his hands and knees, canting his head. “Cuz you don't look so hot.” He paused to laugh at his own choice of words. “You must be hot... Because you don't look so hot! Get it?”

It wasn't exactly a joke, but Luxu cooperatively laughed along anyway – albeit, with audible effort. The more he thought about it, the less sense it made, but that actually made it funnier. Before he knew it, he was laughing for real and the Master looked pleased.

He gave Luxu a pat on the head, then stood.

“Can you wait here for a minute? I'll be right back.”

Just when they got away from the stuffy conversation and it seemed like they were starting to have fun, he was leaving...

Luxu was disappointed, but he knew that he would come back. The Master could be unpredictable, but he wouldn't have ditched him. Knowing him, he was enjoying himself.

He didn't leave the clock tower very often.

The Master was always busy with one thing or another. There was so much for him to do in the clock tower, it was like there was no reason for him to leave. He could have stayed occupied there forever. But, Luxu had to wonder if work was the only thing that kept him inside.

He was something of an urban legend around Daybreak Town. There were all kinds of stories about him, all too fantastical to be true. He was extraordinary, but he wasn't what they thought. He wasn't a ghost, and he wasn't a monster. The truth was, the Master was just an individual of exceptional intellect, doing his best. But maybe that was an oversimplification. Compared to other people, he certainly wasn't normal.

Luxu was happy to run errands for him so he didn't have to abandon his work. There was something intimate about going to the market for him with one of his handwritten lists.

Maybe it was just a matter of time before their relationship evolved. Or... Maybe it was already more than he realized.

 

Luxu's eyes began to aimlessly wander the horizon, lost in thought until someone suddenly sat down beside him. His shoulders jumped, feeling startled before he realized that the person who joined him was just the Master.

“I-I almost didn't recognize you without the coat,” Luxu said.

“I couldn't take it anymore,” the Master groaned, fanning himself with one hand. Held in his other hand were two popsicles.

“Is that what you left to get?”

“Yeah, here,” he said, handing him one of the suspiciously blue popsicles. “It's called sea salt ice cream. Like the name suggests, it's supposed to be salty _and_ sweet, so prepare yourself for a flavor experience. I've heard good things.”

“Oh yeah? Where'd you hear that?”

“Somewhere.”

The future, probably.

The Master spoke up again before Luxu could bite into his ice cream. He was leaning dangerously close again. “Hey. Come on, now.”

“Y-Yeah? What's up?” Luxu nervously replied, trying and failing to take his eyes away from the sweat glistening on the Master's chest. He was pale and slender, but he had a very nice figure. Even the coat couldn't hide that.

One of the Master's hands lightly touched Luxu's chest, his fingers closing around the pull of his zipper. His thumb caressed it, but he didn't pull it down. His eyes lingering on it for long enough to make Luxu feel like he was suffocating before he glanced up, meeting his eyes. Luxu felt his heart pounding against the back of the Master's fingers – there was no way he couldn't feel it, too. It would have been a mercy if he pulled down the zipper for him, sparing him the agony and embarrassment of having to do it himself.

Unfortunately, as if the Master were able to read his mind, he released him and sat back.

He smiled, obviously delighting in the flustered state he'd left him in.

“F-Fine,” Luxu mumbled, fumbling with his zipper while trying not to drop his melting ice cream. Once he pulled the zipper down all the way, he stuck the ice cream in his mouth and held it between his teeth so he could free his arms.

The taste made him forget what he'd been worrying about.

“Tasty, huh?” the Master said, taking a large, dauntless bite from the end of his ice cream. Just watching him made Luxu's teeth hurt.

Wasn't eating a popsicle supposed to be kind of sexy? Luxu couldn't help but feel disappointed by the decidedly anti-sexual way the Master ate his. He was hoping he'd get to see him lick and suck on it at least a little... But he should have known better than that. The Master always managed to subvert his expectations.

Luxu sighed and licked his ice cream, catching the drops rolling down the side, using his tongue to clean up the blue drips on his wrist. Like the Master said, it was a unique taste sensation. He was surprised by how well the saltiness complemented the sweet flavor. He was also grateful to have something cold to help him cool off after keeping his black coat on under the sun. Although he wasn't thrilled about showing skin, he felt a lot better with it off.

“Thank you for the ice cream,” Luxu said, giving him a shy smile. “It's good.”

 

Oh.

 

He was leering.

 

“Master...”

“Hm? Don't mind me. Please, continue enjoying your ice cream. See? It's melting.”

Indeed, it was still melting. The sun was rapidly turning the cold treat to liquid. Luxu hastily lapped at the ice cream dripping over his fingers with a new sense of self-consciousness, all too aware of the eyes that watched him with interest.

“Master, yours is melting, too.”

The Master looked at the ice cream dripping over his fingers and blinked. “Oh, so it is...”

As Luxu licked his ice cream, he kept his eyes on the Master, guiltily paying attention to the way he tended to the mess on his hand with his tongue. Once the Master noticed his attention, he stopped playing around, unnervingly making direct eye contact with him as he slipped two of his fingers into his mouth. He wasn't subtle at all. It was like he was trying to see how far he could push it before Luxu would snap and say something.

Luxu wasn't one to be underestimated, however.

He kept watching even though the sight of the Master rolling his tongue around his fingers made his pulse race. Feeling hot, he shifted his legs, repositioning himself to hide his growing arousal. He didn't know what he was going to do if he got hard in front of him, but it seemed like a near-inevitability. It wouldn't have been the first time. He was prepared for more teasing.

The Master's fingers slipped from his lips, wet and shining with saliva. Swallowing hard, Luxu pressed his knees together, unable to stop his mind from involuntarily conjuring the image of those wet fingers being plunged deep inside of him... As much as he tried to remind himself that there was a time and place for everything, his body didn't seem to care. The Master certainly wasn't helping. Watching him as he cleaned the ice cream off his palm with his tongue only made matters worse.

The Master smacked his lips and smiled at him.

“Are you hard?”

 

Luxu shrieked.

 

“I notice everything,” he reminded him with a wink, playfully sticking out his tongue. “What were you thinking about?”

Nervously holding his lower lip between his teeth, Luxu averted his eyes. “N-Nothing in particular...”

“Aw, come on. I know that's a lie,” he said softly, creeping closer until the space between them was nearly nothing. “Tell me.”

“Are you really asking? You really want to know?”

“If you won't tell me, I can guess. I have a good idea of what's on your mind. There are only so many possibilities and some are more likely than others, considering the... circumstances,” he said, punctuating his final word by pointing at Luxu's lap.

“Th-then I don't have to say it,” Luxu said, sinking his teeth into the cold ice cream, breaking the remainder off the stick. It gave him immediate brain freeze. Squeezing his eyes closed, he pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed until it went away. When he opened his eyes, the Master was still just as close. Luxu looked at him. “If you know what I'm thinking, then... y-you can do something about it.”

Thinking, the Master hummed, his eyes slowly traveled over Luxu's body. As he looked him over, he polished off the rest of his ice cream and held the stick between his teeth, chewing on it idly. Even though he'd been serious, Luxu couldn't believe the Master was taking him seriously. He would have preferred for the Master to be the one to make the first move, but that was because a part of him was still hesitating and unprepared.

No matter how much they had in common, he wasn't on the Master's level yet.

Luxu wanted him to grab him by the hand and pull him up to his level with him, but... That would've been cheating. He had to do things the hard way if he really hoped to stand on the same footing as him.

 

He had to do it himself.

 

“Mas-”

“Let's go swimming.”

 

Just when he thought he'd finally found the nerve, he was interrupted. Once again, the Master must have read his mind and swerved to get in his way. In spite of Luxu's best efforts, the Master always seemed to be one step ahead.

Luxu clutched a fistful of sand.

It was frustrating, but he got the feeling that the Master wasn't simply teasing him anymore. Of course he was enjoying himself, but perhaps he also wanted him to be on his level.

But, how long was it going to take for him to claw his way to that place? How many years would it take?

 

Before Luxu had the time to properly react to his suggestion, the Master was already getting up, patting the sand off his trunks.

 

“H-Hold on. I don't know if I can swim.”

“Sure you can,” the Master said, nodding with confidence.

“I... can? But I've never gone swimming before,” Luxu said as he followed him up. He really hoped that the water was cold.

“It's simple. Let your heart be your guiding ke-”

“That's not how that works, Master!”

Leaving him to fend for himself, the Master took off running toward the water, laughing like a little kid.

 

He was a wonder...

 

Watching him as he splashed around in the water, free from his black coat, Luxu couldn't help but shake his head and smile. He looked like he belonged there, surrounded by the shimmering waves, his light shining brighter than the sun.

There was no rush for him to grow up. Even if it took him a thousand years to meet the Master's pace, that was fine, wasn't it? The Master would surely still be the same person, waiting for him on the other side of that time.

 

He and the Master knew things that no one else knew – the sort of things that would have shattered the mind of anyone of a weaker will.

 

His childhood... It was probably already gone.

He knew that.

 

What little remained of his immaturity was a blessing.

The Master had his permission to take what was left, but he let it stay for another day.

 

“What an unconventional kind of kindness you have, Master,” Luxu muttered to himself.

 

“Hey!” The Master jumped up and shot a pillar of water at him which Luxu skillfully dodged. “Are you coming in or not? I won't let you sink, I promise!” he said dramatically, holding a hand over his chest, raising the other in a pledge. “Scout's honor!”

“I trust you, but I don't trust you,” Luxu laughed.

 

He neatly folded their black coats and placed them side by side on the sand. They looked nice that way.

Leaving his hesitation there as well, he crossed the hot sand and stepped into the water.


End file.
